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I've got this Wired Zapper Class Mod:
Wired Zapper Mechromancer / Gaige class mod

It is described as giving the following bonuses: Electrocute Damage +29%, Chance to Shock +29%. The Borderlands Wiki gives the same description for the Zapper Class Mod.

I understand 'Shock' to mean damage on hit by a shock weapon and 'Electrocute' to mean the damage-over-time (DoT) effect that has a chance to trigger upon being hit by a shock weapon. I based this on the description of the skills in the Little Big Trouble skill tree, which differentiate between Shock and Electrocute damage.

If the above is correct, then 'Chance to Shock +29%' doesn't make sense as shock damage doesn't have a "chance to trigger" (it always does damage). This makes more sense if it's 'Chance to Electrocute'.

What is the actual effect of this class mod? Does it add to Electrocute damage or Shock damage? Does it increase the chances of Shock damage or Electrocute damage?

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    The actual effect is that, with 5 levels in Wires Don't Talk, your shock guns will murder absolutely everything (that doesn't resist shock)
    – Ben Brocka
    Jul 16, 2013 at 12:54
  • @BrandonBouquillon I only play on the PC. I believe Xbox 360 users can also use Gibbed Save Editor to give themselves items in the game. Here's a tutorial on how to extract your Xbox 360 save game to your PC for editing in Gibbed Save Editor.. You can also go to Reddit - /r/bl2modding to ask about using Gibbed Save Editor. Jul 21, 2013 at 13:26
  • @BrandonBouquillon Here's the Gibbed code of the level 61 Wired Zapper Class Mod that I have: BL2(BwAAAACp3gICAQcIEBG9HgfBAUEAwf///////////38DgQIgAME=). Copy the code, then in Gibbed, Backpack tab, click 'Paste Code', then adjust the 'Manufacturer Grade' variable of the class mod to whatever your character's level is. Jul 21, 2013 at 13:26
  • @BrandonBouquillon In the future you could use the chat for the site, although I can't fault you for leaving a comment on a topic on a relevant subject, since it got your question answered.
    – Mana
    Jul 24, 2013 at 14:13

2 Answers 2

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The effect of the mod is to increase all shock elemental damage over time by some percentage (the first 29 on your image), while also increasing the chance of any given attack triggering a Damage-Over-Time effect by some percent of its base percentage (the second 29). So, a 100=damage attack with a 20% chance to cause 10 damage per second for some time, becomes a 100-damage attack with a 25.8% (0.20 * 1.29) chance of causing 12.9 damage per second.

The wording of many things in Borderlands 2 can be inconsistent at times. The exact distinction between shock vs. electrocute, burn vs. fire, etc., can be rather muddled in places.

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    "The effect of the mod is to increase all shock elemental damage ... whether DoT or direct damage." Is this based from testing? Or do you have a source for that? I'm asking because a post in the Gearbox Software forums states that "Both Zapper and Catalyst are all electrocute damage and do NOTHING for your shock damage aside from WDT +4/5/6". Jul 23, 2013 at 7:59
  • I tested it myself and it seems that post in the Gearbox Software forums is true (and that this post is wrong about Shock damage on hit also increasing). Shock damage on hit does NOT increase, only Electrocute DoT does. I noticed that this answer has a lot of upvotes, so I'd have to ask the upvoters too: Do you have a source supporting this answer, or have you done tests supporting it? This is so we could verify what the Zapper Class Mod actually does. Jul 24, 2013 at 5:58
  • Thanks for the info; I swear I remember testing this one ages ago, must have fallen through the cracks. I was planning on testing it myself later today, but you've beat me to it. Answer updated to not be completely wrong. Jul 24, 2013 at 10:51
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A post in the Gearbox Software forums stated that "Both Zapper and Catalyst [Class Mods] are all electrocute damage and do NOTHING for your shock damage aside from WDT [Wires Don' t Talk] +4/5/6".

I decided to test this, and lo and behold, the Zapper's class mod description is indeed a big fat phony. Aside from the Wires Don't Talk skill bonus, it does NOT increase your direct hit shock damage at all.

To test this, I respec'ed and did not assign my skill points (to avoid triggering the Zapper Class Mod's skill points bonuses, especially Wires Don't Talk, and just test its non-skill points bonus effects). I removed my shield and relics too, and armed myself with a shock Avenger.

Without the Wired Zapper Class Mod:

Without the Wired Zapper Class Mod

With the Wired Zapper Class Mod:

With the Wired Zapper Class Mod

Notice that the direct hit shock damage is exactly the same, i.e., shock damage did NOT increase. I also tested the DoT Electrocute damage, and it seems that its damage does increase:

Without the Wired Zapper Class Mod With the Wired Zapper Class Mod
Without the Wired Zapper Class Mod Without the Wired Zapper Class Mod

Based on that, the correct description of the (level 61) Zapper Class mod should be:

Electrocute Damage +29%
Chance to Electrocute +29%

Also, if you're looking to increase the total DPS of a Mechromancer speccing into Little Big Trouble skill tree, I would recommend the Chaotic Evil Necromancer Class Mod instead of the Wired Zapper Class Mod. The Chaotic Evil Necromancer Class Mod also gives a bonus to Wires Don't Talk while increasing your fire rate and critical hit damage (which actually works).

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  • So, it's just that the "Chance to Shock" should be Chance to Electrocute. Is Zapper the only Chance to Shock user in the game?
    – Malady
    Oct 23 at 18:51
  • @Malady It's been years since I last played the game so I'm not too sure. As per searching borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Class_Mod_(Borderlands_2) - it seems that, yes, Zapper is the only "+Chance to Electrocute" class mod in the game. Oct 24 at 3:09
  • Yeah, the only other possible applier would be Class Skills or Shields, since there's no Oz Kits, and borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/More_Pep seems like it calls "Electrocute" by that name, at least. Seems like an issue unique to the Zapper. ... Pre-Sequel Duality Oz Kits might have it too. Maybe. Goodnight. borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Duality_Oz_Kit
    – Malady
    Oct 24 at 5:54

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